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TO OUR READERS . The FREEMASON is a Weekly Newspaper , price 2 d . It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Subscription , including postage : United America , India , India , China , &

Kingdom . thc Continent , & c . Via Brindisi . Twelve Months ios . 6 d . 12 s . od . 17 s . 4 d . Six „ 5 s . 3 d . 6 s . 6 d . 8 s . 8 d . Three „ 2 s . 8 d . 3 s . 3 d . 4 s . 6 d . Subscriptions may be paid for in stamps , but Post Office Orders or Cheques are preferred , the former payable to

GEORGE KENNING , CHIEF OFFICE , LONDON , the latter crossed London and Joint Stock Bank .

Advertisements and other business communications should be addressed to the Publisher . Communications on literary subjects and books for review are to be forwarded to thc Editor . Anonymous correspondence will be wholly disregarded , and the return of rejected MSS . cannot be guaranteed . Further information will be supplied on application tc he Publisher , 108 , Fleet-street , London .

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NOTICE . To prevent delay or miscarriage , it is particularly requested that ALL communications for the FREEMASON , may be addressed to the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , London .

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IMPORTANT NOTICE . COLONIAL and FOREIGN SUBSCRIBERS are informed that acknowledgments of remittances received are published in the first number of every month .

It is very necessary for our readers to advise us of all money orders they remit , more especially those from the United States of America and India 5 otherwise we cannot tell where to credit them .

ADVERTISEMENTS to ensure insertion in current ¦ week ' s Issue should reach the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , by 12 o ' clock on Wednesdays .

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TO ADVERTISERS . The FREEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can hcrefore scarcely be overrated .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

THE MASTERS LIGHT . —We think it better uot to encourage ritual discussions .

BOOKS & c , RECEIVED . " Debrelt ' s Peerage , Baronetage , and Knightage , 1 S 78 , " " Bauhuttc , " "Medical Examiner , " "Hull Packet , " "Broad Arrow , " " Risorgimento , " "The Indent and General Prices Current , " " Proceedings of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of thc Commonwealth of Massachusetts , " "Proceedings of the Annual Convocation of

the Grand Chapter of the State of Virginia , " "Thc Advocate , " "The Masonic Herald , " "Freemasonry : the Three Masonic Graces , Faith , Hope , and Charity ; " "The Saint Christopher Advertiser , " "The Voice of thc People , ( St . Kitt ' s ) , "" New York Dispatch , " "Thc Radius Time Table , " " Der Triangcl , " " Voice of Masonry , " " Weston Times . '

Births , Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 S . Cd . for announcements , not exceed ing four lines , under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . DAKIN . —On the nth inst ., at Champion Park , Denmarkhill , the wife of T . B . Dakin , of a son . DEHANE . —On the Sth inst ., at 14 , Woodfield Crescent , London , W ., thc wife of H . E . Dehane Esq ,, of a daughter .

PENFOI . D . —On the 18 th ult ., at Weymouth , the wife of F . Pcnfold , Esq , Paymaster , R . N ., of a daughter . SIMI-SON . —On the 8 th inst ., at Denmark-terrace , Brighton , the wife of R . Simpson , of a son . STANTON . —On the 10 th inst ., at Marejuis-road , Finsbury Park , the wife of H . A . Slanton , of a son .

MARRIAGE . POWT . ES—PI . UMMER . —On the 9 th inst ., at St . Mary ' s Stratford Tony , Wilts , Thomas Vardlcy Powles Esq ., of Walton-on-Thames , to Jane , daughter of thc Rev . M . Plummer .

DEATHS . BENNETT . —On the nth inst ., Charles Bennett , P . M ., 25 , Chancery Lane . BinoN . —On the 9 th inst ., at Lympnc , Kent , Edwin Biron , aged 44 . JONES . —On the 7 th inst ., at Great College-street , Camden Town , John Jones , in his 63 rd year . PENFOUD . —On the 22 nd ult ,, at Rodwell , Weymouth , Arthur , son of F . Penfold , Est ) ., Paymaster R . N .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 16 , 18 7 8 .

The Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The first great festival of our metropolitan charities has taken place , and with the following noteworthy result - . —Bro . Terry announced as the result of the efforts of the Stewards , that £ 11 , 090 had been received for this excellent charity . We

congratulate the Stewards , the Committee , and Bro . Terry on this auspicious commencement of the charitable campaign on behalf of our Benevolent and Educational Institutions in 1878 , under the distinguished Presidency of Bro . the Dnke of Manchester .

The analysis of the returns requires a little more time than we can give to it this week , especially considering our printing exigencies , but we shall hope to return to the subject , always interesting to Freemasons , next -week .

The Installation Engraving.

THE INSTALLATION ENGRAVING .

We had intended saying a few words about this most interesting and completed " magnum opus , " most creditable to Bro . Harty—but owing to pressure on our columns defer our remarks until next week . A copy of this remarkable woik of art is now on view at 108 , Fleet-street .

The Scottish Rite.

THE SCOTTISH RITE .

Bro . Hubert announces in the Chaine d'Union for January that the Congress of the " Rite Ecossais " is to be held this year in London . This is a fact of which we were previously ignorant , and which comes upon us with some surprise , nay , and we will add , regret . Of the

expediency just now of such a meeting in London we have , we confess , the gravest doubts . In the present state of serious uncertainty as regards much of continental Freemasonry , and tlie exact position of the Scottish Rite in the great controversy going on , and which seems to our

insular and perhaps foggy minds very hazy indeed , wecannothold outanyhopes that such a gathering in London will be looked on approvingly by any large number of English Masons . We doubt very much whether the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite in England ,

judging from the wisdom and caution wkieh have characterised their proceedings , will be very desirous to encourage an assembly which may prove to be a serious embarrassment to themselves . For these questions must at once present themselves to every reflecting Masonic mind ,

" Cui bono ? " What does it all mean ? What are they " up to ? " Whither are they going ? Whatever interest such proceedings may have for members of the Scottish Rite , they can have none for Craft Masons , who do not recognize the right of that body to the claim of a Masonic

jurisdiction of any sort in their territorial limits , that is to say , without the " zone" presided over by a lawful Craft Grand Lodge . Whatever rights the Scottish Rite has over those grades which are peculiar to it , and which sever it distinctly from Craft Masonry , and which no one

seeks to dispute or deny , it cannot have any jurisdiction over symbolic lodges . But , unfortunately , in some parts at any rate , symbolic lodges are worked under the Scottish Rite , and therefore though we admit the practice , in Europe at any rate is the reverse , at least , nearly so , all Craft

Masons must regard with some natural apprehension any attempt to establish a quasi-rival jurisdiction , an " imperium in imperio , " and can only concede to the Scottish Rite its undoubted position as a so-called High Grade ,

though no higher in fact , and far less ancient , than symbolic Masonry . We hope , therefore , that the announcement is incorrect , and that the Congress will meet elsewhere . We are all in peace happily in England . We have no insane

commotions , sterile debates , or childish logomachies ; and while the supreme and sovereign authority of the Grand Lodge is conceded , a most wise and kindly toleration is entertained to all the " High Grades , " their independent position is recognized , their indigenous rights un-

The Scottish Rite.

questioned . In fact , all the evil and all the controversies that have arisen from time to time have emanated from the attempt to combine two antagonistic jurisdictions , Craft and Chivalric Masonry . We hope , then , that either Brussels or Paris will be the "locale" ofthe meetine ? .

Ihe former place would , by its Exhibition , be an attraction to the members of the Scottish Rite , and as the Congress is not qua a Congress likely to result in much positive good , Paris is tindoubtedly the place where it can do the least possible harm .

The Death Of The Pope

THE DEATH OF THE POPE

Since last we addressed our readers the death of the Venerable Pontiff Pio Nono has been announced . With his rule as Chief Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church we have nothing whatever to do , but as the late benevolent Pontiff was loth by implication and directly

concerned with Freemasonry , we think it well and seasonable to devote a few lines to his memory . It has been said that he was a Freemason , but that assertion rests on no valid authority . So far , all the allegations advanced , and all the evidence adduced , are historically unreliable , and may safely without hesitation be relegated to the

" Limhus , of things mythic . The explanation of these repeated asservations is now probably to be found in this , that in the early years of his life , at a time when he was a liberal among Italian liberals , and associated with Mazzini and others , he was received into one of the numerous forms of secret Italian associations which

then abounded whether as Carbonari or under some other euphonious appellation , like the " Decisi . " But that Pio Nono was a Freemason , we do not believe , having carefully examined into all available evidence on the subject , and finding none that will satisfy the imperative

demands of historical accuracy and straightforward matter-of-fact . But Pio Nono is known to Freemasons as having revived in the form of an allocution in our humble opinion as the most unwise advice of the Roman Curia , the slum , bering Papal denunciations against , and condem

nation of Freemasonry everywhere . If such anathemata , whosevvildthreatsand empty menaces failed one hundred andftfty years , how mach more must they do so to-day , when all such claims of infallible authority are little likely either to receive assent or to command adherence . But we

do not think that we are to blams the good old Pope too severely for this fresh proof that tils present Roman Catholic authorities have in no way degenerated from the pious perversity of their predecessors in office . Pio Nono himself was a kindly , pleasant , cheerful

worthy man , who , at another epoch , might have done more than he did do , but who has through Ultramontane exctement lefta most doubtful legacy to the Roman Catholic Church of a ceaseless contest with the government , the ideas , the civilization of the epoch , and that on the worst

and lowest of all grounds , the material possesions , the personal privileges , the asserted right of the spiritual (?) power as opposed to the temporal ! VVe trust that the Roman Catholic Church will learn wisdom by experience , and that a "tertium quid" of accomodation as

between an infallible spiritual authority and a legal earthly government . Let us hope , too , that the New Pope will leave us Freemasons alone , who never seek to quarrel with any religious body or temporal power in the world . We have thought it but proper to pen these few lines in respect of the deceased and wellintentioned Pontiff , and to say , in all Masonic sincerity , "Peace to his Manes !"

The Amenities Of Masonic Correspondence.

THE AMENITIES OF MASONIC CORRESPONDENCE .

We have perused some recent correspondence in the Standard—a monthly magazine , published at Bombay in September—with the deepest feelings of pain , and we will add humiliation .

For surely such letters , ( be the blame on which side it may ) , exhibit Freemasonry in a most ridiculous and unseemly light to the whole outer world . What will " profanes " think of us " Sons of Light" who rush into print on any